We spent a few hours on this lake on a cloudy post-monsoon morning. It was lovely!…read more The state park rangers were so kind and eager to help us with any questions. I rented a kayak for 2 hours for $35 and had a blast out on the water. There were many people fishing and swimming. It was great to see so many families staying in the cabins for the weekend to enjoy the lake. I would love to check out the well-maintained trails the next time I go. Also, the views of Mt. Graham are unmatched. Highly recommend!

Beautiful and quiet. Bathrooms/showers are very clean! Great job by the staff. Sites have water and…read moreelectric. There are very well maintained paths and hiking trails.hiking

We had been to this part of Safford before, but hadn't taken advantage of any of the trails. This…read moretime we drove down by the Ranch House and started our evening walk from there. There were several paths to choose from, but they weren't clearly marked. Some of the areas looked a little run down and other areas were working on some improvements. They also have a frisbee golf course, but not sure how many stations for that. It was a nice walk.

We wanted to visit this park but it was closed. The road had a gate up so we couldn't even see…read moreanything.

What a fantastic park on the East side! It is a beautiful oasis with some hot springs (that are no…read morelonger in operation). It was an old farm and orchard at one time. Walk along trails the go through a mesquite "forest", hot springs, and a open area for bird and lizard watching. There are big beautiful palm lining the water. It was a soothing area. There was a small group doing yoga, and another group having a party while I was there. There is a musuem and art gallery to explore, and restrooms available. some of the old buildings on the farm are still there and in use for park operations.

A perfect spot to relax and enjoy nature! Beautiful trails, serene ponds, and plenty of open space…read moremake it ideal for picnics, walks, or just soaking up the outdoors. Clean, well-maintained, and family-friendly--truly a local gem.

If I had to describe this place in one word, I would say 'sanctuary.'…read more The Catwalk Recreation Area is a compact gem of stupendous beauty. I'd say it's one of the can't miss locations among the many in this state. Although I had seen some photos and videos, they didn't prepare me for the overwhelming experience. It's a canyoned, slot canyoned, nature trailed, tree-lined, water featured, and wildlife wonder courtesy of a built-for-the-ages metal catwalk that floats through much of it as you are suspended between ground and sky. I've seen so many places of natural beauty that I don't get as impressed or as thrilled as I did when I was younger. However, here, I can't think of enough superlatives to say how amazed I was. This place can easily fill with people on nice weekend days. I chose a cold weekday morning and I had the place to myself for a few hours. I considered that time an honor as I walked the catwalk gazing up to the cliff faces and sky while listening to the subdued roar of the water passing by below. I took time to descend from the catwalk and sit at a few places at the water's edge. I hike and camp and bicycle and, while they offer exercise and joy, the Catwalk Recreation Area seems to have its own built-in stress relief feature. This is such an embracing and calming place that can lift you up and say don't lose sight of all the good things in the world.

The Catwalk is so beautiful…read more The boardwalk itself is higher above the water than I anticipated and much shorter in distance than I expected. Regardless the feeling entering the canyon after the catwalk is almost surreal the rocks seem as if they just fell minutes before arriving. Almost like stepping in the Flintstones cartoon. I suggest going here, bring lots of water and snacks and wear a hat plus sunscreen the sun is very direct and hot. Not much shade until you get up the river a ways. I would say I think smaller dogs paws would not be comfortable on the catwalks metal grating but large dogs seemed very comfortable walking on it.

When planning our road trip, I didn't want to drive more than 4 hours/day. So we chose this town to…read moresleep in between Truth or Consequences town and Scottsdale. Really not much to see or do, no highlights. It's supposed to be on the Salsa Trail, where you get free chips and salsa in many Mexican restaurants. However, the place we ended up eating dinner at, which was on the roster of good Mexican restaurants on the Salsa Trail, was a huge disappointment. Suggest finding small mom and pop places not on Main Street where the locals eat.

I have to say the people is Safford sure are nice. We were coming through, from New Mexico to the…read morewest coast and thought we would look down main street. We Did. I was looking at the town center and the monuments in front of the courthouse and Anet needed a restroom. We also want a recommendation from a local of the places in town for lunch. Well she zoomed into the city offices was offered the rest room, some nice conversation and a recommendation. We have been coming back to that restaurant in Safford now each time we drop through. Thank you City of Safford.

Lordsburg, New Mexico…read more There is another Veteran's Park in Deming, NM (South-Central). This Veterans Park is not to be confused with the Deming location as this park is situated in South-West New Mexico near the Arizona border off of I-10. The park is officially closed due to COVID mess. However, we just parked off the road & walked on the front portion of the park where there are plenty of statues, flags, placards & signs, and a tank. Visible from the outside was a large parking structure, more statues & a bunch of picnic tables. This park was an ideal location to take a quick break to stretch the legs, move around a bit, take pictures and the sorts. It's best to walk around or move about on open land during long road trips every 2-3 hours to prevent fatique, blood clots and enjoy the scenery. There are a lot of bugs and flies so keep the doors/windows closed during your break. I am sure the typical desert wildlife such as snakes, etc. are lurking amidst so travel cautiously. Lordsburg is a decent sized town (not city) w/ all the necessary supplies at Love's or Flying J's travel centers (big gas stations). Lordsburg also has various dining options, dollar stores, markets, motels and a fireworks store. Notable places to scope if you are here: 1. Shakespeare Ghost Town (Closed during covid). 2. Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Museum, and 3. Fraggle Rock (open 24/7). Notable regions to visit: 1. Silver City (town) about one hour north and 2. Tombstone, Arizona about two hours west. 3. Whitmire Canyon desert/Animas Mountain Range (very dangerous) about 90 minutes south. 4. Las Cruces/White Sands Missile Base about two hours east. White Sands is where the Atomic Bomb Testing (Manhattan Project) occurred. Travel Safely my friends. @cigarcpa

Veterans Park is not a business. It is a municipal park owned by the City of Lordsburg…read more No fees or hook-ups. Just a nice and level place to park overnight. Water spigots (municipal water?) are available, but freeze in cold weather. If you want a very nice dry camp spot along Interstate 10, this is great. I don't know if this location has an actual street address. Turn south on the I-10 Main Street exit, drive about 3/4 mile through a residential area and you will see an American flag, static WWII anti-aircraft gun and a track vehicle on the left.

Fee free park!…read more Beautiful scenic drive, reminiscent of Bryce Canyon and the red hoodoos they have there. I'm insane and did the Big Loop (~13.5 miles, ~4.5hrs). Also camped at Bonita Campground. When I visited, they have a shuttle on Saturdays and Sundays (~9am departure) to so you can do a point to point (one way) decline hike back to your car. Rangers very friendly!

I've been here twice and each time I have visited, it is mesmerizing and I don't want to leave!…read more This place is famous for their hoodoos and amazing rock formations that will leave you speechless and in awe! And while this place is a national monument, one thing our government could do instead of all the other nonsense going on is to upgrade this place to a national park. We stopped in here after spending time at Kartchner Caverns and today the scenic drive beyond the campground was closed because of the rain and snow that came down steadily last night. And because of this and due to the amount of time we had, we did a shorter walk along the Silver Spur Meadow. This trail is very easy, well shaded and what a beautiful place to view birds! I think may have seen 15 or more species in just the short walk we did here today. I was also here about 2 years ago and did the Echo Canyon Trail to the Grotto and that was such a lovely easy hike with all sorts of cool rock formations and I enjoyed climbing around. Id like to come back and do a more strenuous hike and when I get a chance, will come back and do the Heart of the Rocks trail! Visitor center is very cool with a really nice gift shop, museum, bathrooms and very informative rangers. Parking lot can be a bit tight but more parking available down the road. I was able to get a fun stuffed sandhill crane! I could spend a lot more time here and just love this place! Great place to get a dose of nature and love how the air feels at close to 5500 feet!

Great 17 mile loop trial in Sabino Canyon in Tucson. Bear Canyon is located in the Sabino Canyon…read moreRecreation Area of the Coronado National Forest. The trail starts at the recreation center where either you can walk to the trailhead or take a shuttle for a fee. There is another smaller parking area off of Bear Canyon Road that you can access the trailhead from that isn't in the recreation area. Once parked, you follow an easy rocky wash to the recreation area. Accessing the trail from this parking lot makes the hike a little shorter. But finding a spot to park can be difficult because the lot only holds about 15 cars. Attractions you can visit in Bear Canyon are Seven Falls and Thimble Peak. The rest of this review is for the Seven Falls Trail portion of the Bear Canyon Loop Trail. This hike reminded me of the West Fork Trail in Northern AZ but with less shade. There is a restroom at the Bear Canyon overlook picnic area. The Seven Falls trail is 8 miles out-and-back and has seven water crossings along the way. I was able to walk across the rocks, but plan on getting your feet wet (or bring water shoes). There are lots of Saguaro and Prickly Pear Cactus along this rocky path. After the crossings, there is an incline and then downhill portion until you get to the base of the falls. The waterfall cascades down a rock face and is gorgeous. This hike is really popular and gets crowded during the middle of the day and weekends. I really enjoyed hiking it. The best way to enjoy this hike and avoid lots of people is to start early. And as always when you hike in Arizona, bring water and sunscreen.

I was in the area to hike Seven Falls which is a trail you can get off off Bear Canyon Trail. It…read moreis in in the Sabino Canyon Recreational Center and parking was $5 bucks. For Seven Falls you can start off right from the parking and work your way up to the fails or you can get tickets and a ride the tram up for 4 miles, if you take the tram, you are still hiking 8 miles so don't feel like you're not getting your distance in if that's your thing. I recommend doing the Seven Falls hike either in the early spring if the creeks aren't flowing to high or the fall, most of the hike is not shaded, but you do like 7 creek crossings and do get wet , so plan on wearing waterproof shoes. This was an Arizona bucket list hike for me so I really enjoyed it. The Seven Falls are worth it! Come early to get a parking spot . Distance (with tram ride) 8.2 Miles, but I am sure the .2 depends on where you park, elevation gain about 900ft, difficulty moderate, you don't have to scale rocks or scramble, you can easily climb. Amenities are at the center, and it's real flushing toilets. No, you can't bring your dog on this.

Very high on my list of places i can't wait to visit again...This 49,000 acre preserve, managed by…read morethe Nature Conservancy, offers overnight accommodations in a remote, peaceful setting. Be forewarned this is NOT a full service hotel and there is a very long list of rules/guidelines for staying here which are strictly enforced. Reservations are required WAY in advance if you hope to get a casita here, and the ranch is closed to visitors during the hot summer months due to rattlesnake activity. But (if you are still reading...) if you are pretty self sufficient, willing to pack in all of the food and drink for your stay (the nearest safeway will be an hour away down a dark, pothole filled dirt road) and in search of a rare respite completely immersed in the natural beauty of southern Arizona, then this place is well worth the journey. Muleshoe Ranch is located at the southern end of a 50 mile riparian nature preserve, at the convergence of three rivers in the Galiuro mountains. You can climb mountains, explore the terrain, hike through shady riverbeds or do all of the above in a single day. Your self guided adventures can range from an easy nature trail to a half day loop (Beth Woodin Trail, which is spectacular) or a 4 wheel drive expedition into the backcountry. The landscape changes with the seasons and at night there's some of the best stargazing you'll find anywhere. Wildlife abounds, and includes many species of hummingbirds as well as elusive troops of ring tailed coatimundi. Wildflowers are abundant in the springtime and the streambeds teem with life. The casitas (actually 4 casitas round a grassy courtyard) and a little stone house down the hill are available for overnight rental. Very comfortable accommodations with beds and fully equipped kitchens. Some of the casitas have a living/dining room area with futon sofas that convert into additional sleeping accommodations. There are plenty of little outdoor seating areas to rest and relax. There is an outdoor deck for stargazing and wildlife viewing, as well as a common room for socializing with other guests. Nearby there is a visitor center and a small gift shop which are open to day visitors during limited hours. The icing on the cake are the two outdoor natural spring fed hot (very hot!) tubs crafted from round galvanized cattle troughs, which are only available to overnight guests. Before or after a strenuous day of hiking they are heavenly! Be sure to visit the Nature Conservancy/Muleshoe website and read through all of the details about a stay at Muleshoe to decide whether it's right for you. It is a very special place off of the beaten path of tourist travel.

What an absolutely incredible find! Only 2 1/2 hours or so outside of Tucson but it feels like a…read morewhole other world! No cell phone reception and no Internet. Amazing hiking trails, gorgeous wildlife, sunsets and sunrises that take your breath away. All while talked into a nature conservancy park. So you learn all about programs they are doing to help nature. One being there incredible monarch butterfly program. The Casitas are super cute! Perfect accommodations. Each has a bathroom, a little kitchen, and usually seating either on the front patio or back patio. Hot water was perfect and the septic system worked very well. And don't forget to pack your swimsuit-they have hot tubs that you can sit in. And I haven't heard if you get up early enough sitting in them to watch the sunrise is well worth the early morning alarm!